--The Saints concentrated on red zone drills and kickoff coverage/returns in the afternoon practice, which was conducted in triple-digit heat index conditions. A crowd of almost a thousand people endured the conditions to watch the workout.

--A tip for fans trying to determine which players might crack the final roster: Watch special teams drills. The players working with the first-team units usually have a good chance to make the final roster. With that in mind, it was interesting to note that defensive end Josh Cooper and linebackers Trev Faulk and Troy Evans worked with the first-team kickoff return teams on Tuesday. Evans and Faulk are prime candidates to replace Steve Gleason as the unofficial headhunter on coverage units. Faulk didn't help his cause with a false start on a punt Sunday night.

--Payton revealed some of his playing-time strategy for Friday night's home exhibition opener against Buffalo. He said the starters would play for about a quarter. Running back Deuce McAllister and safety Roman Harper both are expected to play. Neither saw action against Pittsburgh Sunday night.

--It's early but Steve Weatherford appears to have the upper hand in his competition with veteran Chris Hanson for the punter position. He averaged a healthy 42 yards on six punts against Pittsburgh. Hanson managed just 39.5 yards on two attempts. Weatherford has had the advantage on most days in practice, as well.